An apparatus for a water resistant active exoskeleton boot includes a shin pad and one or more housings. The one or more housings enclose electronic circuitry and an electric motor that generate torque about an axis of rotation of an ankle joint of the user. A sealant is placed in contact with the one or more housings to close the one or more housings and prevent an ingress of water into the one or more housings. The apparatus includes an output shaft coupled to the electric motor and extending through a bore in a housing of the one or more housings enclosing the electric motor. The apparatus includes a seal to prevent an ingress of the water into the one or more housings. The apparatus includes a rotary encoder enclosed within the one or more housings to measure an angle of the electric motor.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the seal comprises grease.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the seal comprises a gasket.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sealant used to close the one or more housings comprises an adhesive sealant.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sealant used to close the one or more housings comprises epoxy and permanently closes the one or more housings.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more housings form a clamshell structure to enclose the electronic circuitry and the electric motor.
11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the sensor comprises a Hall effect sensor, and the magnetic component comprises a permanent magnet.
12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rotary encoder comprises an inductive encoder.
13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more housings is formed of plastic or aluminum.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the seal in contact with the output shaft comprises grease.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein the sealant used to close the one or more housings comprises an adhesive sealant.
17. The method of claim 14, wherein the sealant used to close the one or more housings comprises epoxy and permanently closes the one or more housings.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
August 25, 2020
September 17, 2024
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